PORTSMOUTH — The state Department of Transportation reports their crews are working feverishly to repair the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, which was pushed off its track during a routine lift Wednesday afternoon by strong winds. The bridge could be out of commission through the weekend, though officials say they will have a clearer idea of a timeline at the end of today.

The bridge, which carries Route 1 across the Piscataqua River to Kittery, Maine, is currently the state's primary red-listed structure out of 500 bridges.

Standing at the end of the closed bridge with a group of news reporters, shivering in freezing temperatures which dipped down to 0 degrees Thursday morning, Assistant Administrator of Bridge Maintenance Steve Johnson explained how the bridge became skewed, which is structural steel damage to the bridge's guides. Johnson said a fabrication of new structures was under way at the state department's Franklin yard but the cold temperatures and bitter winds were making the work more difficult.

“It's not an easy job, even in good weather, because you're working in a tight space with fairly large structures,” he said. “…We now need to put the guides back, push them over and reinstall the guides.”

NHDOT Spokesman Bill Boynton told Foster's the drawbridge's center span was became damaged at about 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday, with the span stuck about a foot above the roadway.

Currently, both vehicular and marine traffic are unable to pass through.

Johnson said approximately eight workers have been conducting repairs since Thursday morning and it was unknown Thursday afternoon whether they would continue working through the night.

“It's obviously a fairly long span so it's not that easy to do,” he added.

The Memorial Bridge is unavailable for detours as well, as crews have been continually repairing that structure for a reopening in July. Johnson noted this bridge closure's traffic problems on the ground were “greatly exacerbated” by the ongoing Memorial work.

All vehicular traffic has been rerouted to the I-95 “high rise” bridge but Johnson noted one of his main focuses is repairing the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge for incoming shipping traffic expected this weekend. He said crews are remaining safe by wearing many layers of clothing, as well as life jackets and harnesses when working near the water below the bridge.

Completed in 1940, the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge provides measures 2,800 feet, and on average, aids in the crossing of some 16,000 vehicles.

“We're working to get this done as quickly as possible,” Johnson added. “We will start putting pieces in place but the bridge is old. The bridge is definitely in need of replacement and any type of significant bridge is a fairly unique piece of structure. There are a lot of moving parts …”